Cushioned knob



Sept 2l, 1948- s. K. wim-:EMV:l l2,449,575

LCUSHIONEDIMOB Filed OCT.. 25, 1945 kfeymom /4 4BY Patented Sept. 21, 1948 Seymour K.

Wilhelm, United States Army s Detroit, Mich. Application October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,631

fl (iClams. (Cl. 'i4-557) (Granted under theact of March 3, 1883, `as

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government forgovernmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon. My invention relates' to knobs for use o n the steering wheelsof lsuch industrial vehicles asl fork lift trucks to facilitate steering thereof and more particularly to a cushioned knob which eliminates or` greatly reduces the possibility of injury to-an operator due to his being struck by the steering knob when thesteering wheel is rotated by backlash in the4 steering apparatus.

A cert'ain `amount of back-lash occurs in the steering apparatus of all vehicles Whenever they are turned from a straight course, the amount and force of this back-lash being determined bythe speed of the `vehicle and the degree of turn made. Certain vehicles `used for industrial purposes quite viretluntly areequipped with steeringknobs on their steering wheels to facilitate steering these vehicles.' Such knobs have the disadvantage'that amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) they may strike an operators `hand whenthe steering wheel turn yunder the inuence of the `backlash. Accordingly, it is an object of` my invention to provide a new and improved steering o knob forthesteeringI wheels offindustrial or other vehicles which is cushioned to reduce the likeli hood of an operatorlbeing injured if struck by 'the knob. d

Another object of the invention is the provision of a. new and improved steering knob which is fabd ricated from layers of sponge `rubber wrapped `around. a core and bound together by a leather outer covering.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved steering knob which may be .readily mounted onV a steering apparatus orfdismounted therefrom. I "A still -further object of the invention is the provisionof a new and improved steering knob which is of 4simple and generally improved construction, yet durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from.' the" following description and accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of my improved steering knob; Fig'. 2 is a vertical crosssectional view of the improved knob; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the knob with the outer cover removed; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the knob showing the manner in which the upper edge of the outer cover is drawn together. Fig. 5 is a. side elevational view showing the manner in which the ends of the outer covering are stitched together",` while Fig. 6 is a'perspective view of theouter covering, and Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the cushioning layers of the knob.j "I

Referring to Figs. f1 and 2 of the drawingyit will be noted that the knob I0 comprises a spool shaped metallic corefl'l rotatably mounted ona bushing I2 of suitable metal, such aslbrass, and padded with sponge rubbercushioning layers fI3 and I4 which are protected from wearl by a leather cover I5. I I

The knob I0 is rotatably mounted upon stud bolt I6 by means of the bushing I2 which is received on the bolt I6 and acts as a spacer between the head I1 of the bolt and the rim I8 of the steering wheel of the vehicle so that the bolt may be tightly secured to the rim without clamping the knob. A washer I9 is interposed between the headI'I of theV bolt I6 and the upper endof the bushing and projects over the side ofthe bushing so that it will be engaged by the bottom 20 of a well 2|, formed in the upper end ofthe core Il.' when the latter is in position on the stud bolt thereby maintaining the knob on the boltln free pivotal engagement therewith. Y d

"The cushioning elements of theknob consist of a relatively narrow strip of sponge 'rubber'or other resilientmaterial I3 overlaid by the relatively wide outer stripl I4 ofthe same material, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Strip I3 encircles the core adjacent its upper end in engagementwitlh a collar 22" adjacent theupper `end `of the core for holding the strip in-positiont fas `shown in Figs. 1 and 2.` `The ends 'of this strip are drawn to` gether,` therebycausing the strip to tautly ngage the core, andthey are secured together with heavystitching. Encircling this `is `the.I rubber strip I4 of width suilicient to extend fromA a point adjacent the bottomlof the core to its top. The ends of this strip` are drawn together and Vstitched as indicatedat 23 in Fig: 3,-`and at apoint intermediate a collar 24 adjacent the lower end ofthe core and the lower edge of the narrowstrip I3; the rubber strip I4` is drawn in by binding it with a binder such as the cord 25, asfshown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that a bulbous enlargement is formed on the upperend of the knob. i

An outer covering of the knob should consist of flexible long-wearing leather. In order to secure a close fit between the cover and the cushioning layers, the cover is made from two pieces 26 and 2l having longitudinally curved edges two of which are stitched together to form a seam 28 as indicated in Fig. 6. The outer edges of the strips are pinked to form scalloped edges also shown in Fig. 6.

In the nal operation of the construction of a knob, the cover is placed about the unfinished knob with the seam 28 engaging in the drawn in part of the rubber cushioning layer I4, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the ends of the cover are drawn together Vand stitched` with a base ball stitch, as'. indicated at 29:' in Fig. 5,. The top and bottom are drawn together by taking a stitch in each pinke'd ear along the top and bottom edges of the cover and drawing the threads taut so that these edges are drawn together as indicated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, but a sullicieriil opening sfletin the top for the head l1 of the lstud bolts to pass through and the pinked ears along the bottom edge are drawn up only suficiently to engage the sides of the lower tapered end of the core ll, as

shown in Fig. 5.

While I have described one 'embodiment ot my invention for the purpose 'of illustrating the accordance withthe appended claims. It should also be: obvious that. `a knob of the type herein described is adaptable .for many uses.y For-example, in avehicle such as .a fork lift. truck, it can be .used not only on the steering wheel but also on the tilting lever and on the shifting and thefra-ising and lowering levers. v

3.'. A. cushioned lsteering Wheel or sinn-larr knob comprising. a: rigid core, a relatively narrow rst cushioning layerdisposed; about ysaid core adjacent-'its upper'end, a second cushioning layer disposed .about said core'and' overlaying the rst layena loi-nderv secured about said-second layer adjacent .the lower end` thereof, said first layer and `hinder cooperating to produce a bnlbous enlargementy offthe second' layer and va `wear resistantycoversecured over said cushioning layers and stitched togetherto cause the saine to con-- form to the shapeof said second layer.

, ...'2. .Ai cushioned steering wheel or similar knob comprising a rigid, core, a relatively vnarrow rst cushioning. layer disposed about-said core adja- .centv its upper emma-second cushioning layer disposed about. said:A core and overlaying the first layer, afbinder secured about said second layer adgacent the lower end thereof, said `first-layer andfbi-nder,` cooperating. to produce a bulbous ,enlargement ot said second l'ayerand a wear resistant cover secured over-said cushioning llayers and stitched together -to cause the same `to conform tothe. shape of said-.second layer, saidcover hav- .ingzscalloped upper and lower edges anda draw string for drawing said scalloped edges together tovpartiallly'cover the open ends of the knob.

. y3., .A cushioned steeringivheel-or similar knob comprising av rigid core,v al relatively narrow rst cushioning, layer disposed-:about said core adjacentitsupper end, a second cushioning. layer. disposed aboutsaid core andvoverlaying the rst layena binder securedabout said secondV layer adjacent the lower end thereof, said first layer 4 and binder cooperating to produce a bulbous enlargement of the second layer and a wear resist- Yant cover secured over said cushioning layers and stitched together to cause the same to conform to the shape of said second layer, said cover havingscallopedtupper andglowertedges anda drawstring thread formed ihtoastitch each scalloped ear drawn taut to cause said scalloped edges v'to be drawn inwardly toward each other partially 10 to cover the ends of the second cushioning layer.

4". A cushioned steering wheel or similar knob comprising. a rigid sleeve-like core provided with an annular ridge adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, a relatively narrow rst cushioning layer disposeed about said core with its upper edge in engagement with the ridge adjacent the upper end of said core, a relatively wide second cushioning, layer disposed about said core and overlaying sa-idfirst layer and said core from top to bottom, a binder disposed about said second layer .at/a lpoint intermediatefthe lower edgesfof saidirst layer and the ridge..adjacent..the3lomer end of said core, said :rst layer and hinderen.- operating to producea bulbous..enlar gemen.t,,of said second cushioning layer Iand a wear .resistant cover secured cverzsaid: cushioningdayersand stitched to` cause the. sameytoconformi@ the shape of saidsecond layer.

5. A` cushioned steering wheel. orsiimilax: .knob comprising a rigid core provided with. an. annular ridge adjacent the upperv end4 thereof,l a, relatively narrow rst layer of resilient cushioning material annularly disposed aboutsaid core-:adjacent the upper end thereof in; engagement .with saidMrdge, arelatively wide second laver of cushioning-material disposed about saidy core and. rstlayennd means for necking-infthe lower .portion of .the second cushioningl layer .below therst cushion'- ing layer to provide abulbous gripping portion..

6. Theinethod` ofmaking alrcushioned knob@ comprising wrapping-a relatively/narrow layeiraof resilient cushioningmaterial. annularly aboutga. rigid core adjacent the upper end thereof., wrapping. a relatively wide secon-d layer of cushioning material about said rst layer .andt said` core-and circumferentially'tying the lower `portionol. said second cushioning. layer below saidicsttcus-hioning layer, whereby `aresilient bulbous'gripping portion is formed.

\ REFERENCES CITED The following referencesarc of record `in the ille of this patent:

. UNITED STATES .PATENTS '7,0045V Great Britain. (1893); 31, 1956 

